Many in the race for EU presidency

May 29, 2014 - 6:29:05 am

BRUSSELS: Chancellor Angela Merkel’s diluted support for Jean-Claude Juncker’s bid to be European Commission president has thrown the field open to other candidates, although it will be weeks before a single nominee emerges.

While Merkel did not rule Juncker out after talks with EU leaders on Tuesday, she acknowledged there was opposition to his candidacy and said a range of top EU jobs could only be decided in negotiations running until late June.

The European People’s Party, the EU’s centre-right political movement of which Merkel’s party is a core member, won the most seats in European Parliament elections and is firmly backing Juncker to become Commission president.

“I am a member of the EPP. We nominated Jean-Claude Juncker ... The entire agenda can be implemented by him, but also by many others,” Merkel said, choosing her words carefully as reporters peppered her with questions. “But I still have to respect the treaty.”

Her reference to the treaty is heavily laden. It says the 28 heads of state and government must agree on a candidate by a “qualified majority”, which effectively means all but a handful agreeing.

But with British Prime Minister David Cameron openly opposed to Juncker, who he regards as an old-style European federalist, and countries like Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and some in eastern Europe and the Baltics sharing Britain’s concerns, it is not clear there is majority support for the Luxembourger.

The treaty also says EU leaders must nominate someone “taking into account” the results of the European elections. It does not say they must nominate the candidate chosen by the party that won the European elections.

The only obligation on leaders is to ensure that whoever they pick comes from the centre-right EPP family.